SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings finished their 2016-17 home schedule in style Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns at Golden 1 Center. With both teams on the outside looking in of the postseason picture, the Kings found a way to pick up their 32nd win of the season with the 129-104 victory.
Auditioning for all 30 teams after the season, free agent-to-be Ty Lawson ran circles around the Suns guards. Lawson, 29, notched his first triple-double of his career, finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the win.
Buddy Hield looked like a man on a mission. The first-year guard dropped in 12-for-20 from the field on his way to a new career-high in points with 30.
Skal Labissiere didn't have another 32-point game against Phoenix, but he found a way to play his way into the action, scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds in the blowout.
Fellow rookie Georgios Papagiannis added 13 points, seven rebounds and picked up his first technical foul of his young career.
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Willie Cauley-Stein put up 13 points and four rebounds in 20 minutes. Ben McLemore chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Tolliver went for 12 points and seven rebounds.
With starting guards Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker shutting it down, rookies Tyler Ulis and Derrick Jones Jr. got the nod in the backcourt. Ulis used his speed to score 27 points and hand out six assists. Jones Jr. added 10 points and four rebounds in the loss.
Sacramento native Marquese Chriss managed 22 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. T.J. Warren scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Allen Williams worked the paint for 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns finished 24-58 on the season.
STANDOUT PERFORMER:
Papagiannis clearly doesn't care for fellow rookie Dragan Bender. The rookie bigs almost went to blows in the first half, resulting in a double tech. Rarely does a player get the standout performer call for picking up a technical foul, but it was good to see Papagiannis show some fire.
TURNING POINT:
Phoenix laid down before the game even started when they decided to sit Booker. The Kings led by 19 at the half and finished the game off early in the third quarter.
INJURY UPDATE:
Veterans Arron Afflalo, Kosta Koufos and Tyreke Evans sat out for scheduled rest. Darren Collison missed the game with a migraine headache. Rookie Malachi Richardson is officially out for the season with a right hamstring thickness tear. Rudy Gay is out for the year with a torn left Achilles.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Kings finish the season Wednesday night with a battle against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.
